U.K. SET FOR BIGGEST STRIKES SINCE 1926

Union: UK Set For Biggest Strikes Since 1926
Comments5:50am UK, Saturday June 18, 2011

Britain's biggest wave of industrial action since the 1926 general strike will be sparked by Government pension reforms, the largest public sector union's leader has said.


Mass demonstrations against the reforms are expected during the coming months


Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, issued the warning as angry unions threatened to walk away from talks over plans to pay more for reduced entitlements.

He told the Guardian newspaper: "It will be the biggest since the general strike. It won't be the miners' strike. We are going to win."

It comes after Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told public sector workers it would be a "colossal mistake" to reject a deal that was the best they could hope for.

Under the reforms, the general retirement age in the public sector will rise from 60 to 66, in line with the state pension.


I strongly believe that one day of industrial action will not change anyone's mind in government. We are prepared for rolling action over an indefinite period.

Dave Prentis, Unison general secretary
The changes will also see public sector pensions based on career-average earnings rather than final salaries.

And also prompting fury was the plan to increase contributions by an average 3.2%.

The Government says those on the lowest incomes will not have to pay any more and that benefits for low and middle earners would remain roughly the same.

Union chiefs have accused Mr Alexander of trying to scupper negotiations by revealing details of the Government's stance to the media.

And with the GMB threatening to pull out of talks, Mr Prentis warned of "rolling action over an indefinite period" until workers get their message across.



"I strongly believe that one day of industrial action will not change anyone's mind in government," he said.

"We want to move towards a settlement. The purpose of industrial action is not industrial action, it is to get an agreement that is acceptable and long-lasting.

"But we are prepared for rolling action over an indefinite period. This coalition has got to open its eyes and see that in just reacting to a Daily Mail view of the public sector they are walking into a trap of their own making."

Mr Prentis, whose union has more than 1.3m members, added that Government cuts were hitting public services hardest.

Up to 750,000 teachers and civil servants are planning to walk out on June 30, during what is being labelled a 'summer of strikes’.

The 1926 general strike - an unsuccessful attempt to prevent miners' pay being reduced - lasted nine days and saw around 1.7m people walk out.

The Public Sector Workers have always had more benefits and job protection than the Public Sector and it"s time they realise they must play their part in trying to get Britain back on it"s feet financially. The Banks in particular must also accept reform and tightening of tax loopholes , if this had gone hand in hand with the Public Sector reforms we might not be facing this selfish strike by workers who have jobs.

Britain is on it"s knees Financially , I have no respect for the Public Sector Union Bosses who are happy to add to the misery.

Panda wrote:
The Public Sector Workers have always had more benefits and job protection than the Public Sector and it"s time they realise they must play their part in trying to get Britain back on it"s feet financially. The Banks in particular must also accept reform and tightening of tax loopholes , if this had gone hand in hand with the Public Sector reforms we might not be facing this selfish strike by workers who have jobs.

Britain is on it"s knees Financially , I have no respect for the Public Sector Union Bosses who are happy to add to the misery.

Panda Union Bosses imo are just very good at shit stirring, any that Ive ever come across in my life have always been, the loud mouth, arrogant type of person, the one's who people would in normal circumstances stay well away from.

Its ok Dave Prentis saying that its not going to be like the Miners Strike we are going to "win" he makes it sound like a game of football, this guy isn't bothered about the Country, all his gullible members will believe him, just like all the miners did with Scargill,.......I'm not a fan of Cameron, but I don't think he is going to back down, I can't see how he can, if anything it will be a joint agreement from both sides, at the beginning they will be alot of public sector workers keen as mustard to strike, but when it hits the pockets, they will want to go back to work, what with the currant financial climate I really can't see how all these workers can afford to go without for too long.
I remember when the miners strike was on, one miner that went back to work was intervied , he said its ok for Scargill he gets driven home in his Jag, and he will eat his steak and chips, I'm going home to Beans on Toast.......Prentis needs to take note of what happened to Scargill at the end of the miners strike, no one ever believed or took note of him after the miners went back to work, he was finnished.

With all this going on at the mo, I can't see why Cameron would happily let SY review, and come back and say the Mcs have nothing to answer for, waste £3.5m of Tax Payers money, brush it under the carpet, thinking we will happily let this happen....NO!!, he can't be seen to wasting money, on a couple of child neglectors, who have just been given £2m from their book, when the Country is on is nearly on its knees.

Hi LilyoftheValley,

I don"t know if you have been following the problems Greece is facing , the chances are increasing that the Country will default on it"s debt and it will
act as a Domino Effect in the rest of Europe because all the Countries are tied to the same Currency.

Also, I read that when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister he borrowed from Middle East Countries on the quiet rather than have to go cap in hand to the
IMF......@ 12% interest.

I can"t remember which Country but it is illegal to strike during working hours those doing so face a hefty Fine.

Stupid. Stupid Union Bosses.............this is the reason Britain lost it"s manufacturing base in the 70"s because of the Strikes.

Yes Panda I'm sure Greece will default, and it will effect the whole of Europe, us especially even though we are not in the Euro, they say we are coming out of this serious resession, I don't agree, even if we where, Greece could put us well and truly right back in it.

Labour have had a go about the forth coming strikes, but its strange how they dont comment on the Pension, knowing that if they were in power they would be having to tackle the pension schemes imo, its something that has to be delt with, thats why I believe Cameron can't back down, imo I think it will be settled by them agreeing to shave one year off the pension age and thats about it imho......interesting times ahead

I think the population of the World will have to learn the old skills, the U.S. is in deep s***and could also default. Apparently under the terms of the
investment and Loan made by China, if they default the Chinese Government can come into America and cherry pick what they want to repay the debt
regardless of who owns the Property.!!!!!

Murnaghan of Sky News interviewed David Prentis Chief Ex. of Unison and really grilled him.

By calling this strike action have you considered where the money is coming from to feed the Families of those involved in strike action.?

You must remember the Miners Strike which ended after 9 days because the Miners couldn"t afford to keep it going any longer for financial reason...did
it stop Mines being shut down?

Will Ed Milliband be joining the March?

Have you really considered the harm you will be doing to Britain and it"s population by this action at a time of such Financial crisis.?

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC,SAW A FILM ABOUT THE MINER'S STRIKE LAST NIGHT

Badboy wrote:SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC,SAW A FILM ABOUT THE MINER'S STRIKE LAST NIGHT

I remember watching that strike Badboy, it was brutal and I felt very sorry for the Miiners. When you think of the damage it caused to so many
Communities, yet we are now importing Coal. There was 300 yrs supply of Coal , surely they could have found a way of making it cleaner? Now we
are paying high Gas and Electricity Prices with no alternative.

Panda wrote:
The Public Sector Workers have always had more benefits and job protection than the Public Sector and it"s time they realise they must play their part in trying to get Britain back on it"s feet financially. The Banks in particular must also accept reform and tightening of tax loopholes , if this had gone hand in hand with the Public Sector reforms we might not be facing this selfish strike by workers who have jobs.

Britain is on it"s knees Financially , I have no respect for the Public Sector Union Bosses who are happy to add to the misery.

Excellent, Panda. I agree with you. Why shouldn't the teachers and all those others have the same pension packages as other workers? That's all Cameron is trying to do. I have no sympathy for them. The rest of us are having to accept that things cannot go on as before. This strike and the following wave of strikes they're planning will damage the fragile economy. These strikers are blinkered: all they can see is their own little pot of cash diminishing. As for the bosses, well like Scargill, they'll still be drawing their pay!

Morning AnnaEsse,

Is there one Public Sectoor Dept which gives the Service it is paid for? NONE!!!! The NUT should be ashamed for Britain being 18th in Europe for
Schoolchildren leaving school without the most basic Education ........even Estonia beats us . I think it is also morally wrong, much as I respect Nurses,
that they have free training , yet go into Bank nursing as soon as they qualify which pays more.

its appears our schools are turning out people who can't read and write,there is too much computers and not enough emphasis on the basics.
Someone told me that there is too much p****** around and not enough learning.

Badboy wrote:its appears our schools are turning out people who can't read and write,there is too much computers and not enough emphasis on the basics.
Someone told me that there is too much p****** around and not enough learning.

I agree with everything you say. Last year I got sent to a couple of primary schools, teaching year 1, towards the end of their first year in school, and I was appalled. Apart from the behaviour, which in general was wild, with many of the children unable to sit still even for a few minutes, some kids weren't up to the standard of verbal communication that my then three-year-old grandson was achieving, and some couldn't write their name in full.

As for computers! Bah! In some secondary schools, most classrooms now have at least a few and young people are becoming expert with Power Point and copy and paste, but are semi-literate otherwise. Our schools are churning out kids with a handful of GCSE's, who can hardly string a sentence together in good English, thanks to coursework that gets started in some schools in year 9, giving the kids 2 years to get it right.

ITS ALSO APPEARS YOU HAVE SCHOOL PUPILS WHO TURN UP AT SCHOOL WHO CAN'T EVEN DO THEIR SHOE LACES.

Badboy wrote:ITS ALSO APPEARS YOU HAVE SCHOOL PUPILS WHO TURN UP AT SCHOOL WHO CAN'T EVEN DO THEIR SHOE LACES.

Yes, there was a report that mentioned the shoe laces and it's true!